Food Aid

David Drew: To ask the Prime Minister what representations he made to the G8 in response to the World Food Programme's request for help for hungry and malnourished people.

Tony Blair: At the request of the US and UK, the G8 has agreed to work urgently with partners to improve the effectiveness and availability of humanitarian assistance and adequately fund urgent humanitarian needs in Africa.
	I also refer my hon. Friend to the communiqué issued at the G8 summit. This is available on the No. 10 website.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to his oral answer of 29 June 2005, Official Report, column 1292, on tax credit overpayments, when he plans to write to the hon. Member for Yeovil; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: I replied to the hon. Member yesterday.

Broadband (East Sussex)

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will provide further broadband availability assistance to East Sussex county council in order for it to meet its broadband targets.

Alun Michael: The South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) is now running a number of programmes targeting broadband take-up in addition to availability. SEEDA funding of £150,000 is supporting a broadband partnership which is led by East Sussex county council in partnership with East Sussex Economic Partnership, Business Link for Sussex, BT Group, the local education authority in East Sussex, and the Learning and Skills Council. The title of the project is "Social and Economic Advancement in East Sussex through Accelerated Broadband Service Availability". Its aim is to grow demand for broadband services and to develop the benefits to businesses and less advantaged communities in priority areas. The project started in late 2004 and is likely to run for at least two years.
	No direct funding from DTI is offered specifically to increase broadband availability in the East Sussex area, although we are working closely with BT to minimise the small number of remaining broadband 'blackspots' across the country.

Oil Imports

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to reduce the UK's dependency on imported oil.

Malcolm Wicks: Although the UK currently remains a net exporter of oil, it is likely we will become a net importer by around 2010. However, relying on imports need not be a problem in itself, although it does require us to take a longer-term strategic international approach to energy reliability. Oil is an internationally traded commodity and all countries, whether import-dependent or not, have a common interest in promoting open markets. Most other advanced industrial economies already import significant proportions of their oil needs without noticeable disruption.
	Notwithstanding this, however, the Government remain committed to maximising the economic recovery of the UK's own oil (and gas) reserves. The PILOT initiative—a joint programme involving the Government and the UK's oil and gas industry—is central to this aim. Moreover, the Government are already putting in place policies that will help ease the UK economy away from power supplied primarily through fossil fuel supply, by increasing energy efficiency and developing alternative technologies. Information on these policies can be found in the Energy White Paper 2003 "Our energy future—creating a low carbon economy" (http://www.dti.gov.uk/energy/whitepaper/index.shtml).
	In parallel, the Government have put in place a number of measures to improve the average fuel efficiency of vehicles, as set out in the July 2002 Powering Future Vehicles Strategy. These include fiscal incentives, such as the graduated, CO 2 based Vehicle Excise Duty and Company Car Tax schemes. The Government are also promoting the use of renewable transport fuels, such as biofuels, by means of fuel duty incentives. Sales of biofuels have increased rapidly during 2005, and currently stand at some 10 million litres a month, a five-fold increase over sales in 2004.

Post Offices

Jimmy Hood: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many direct post offices have closed in the last 18 months in (a) the UK and (b) Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. (POL) and the Chief Executive has been asked to reply direct to the hon. Member.

Royal Mail

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 4 July 2005, Official Report, column 60W, on Royal Mail, whether the Government will be the only shareholder in Royal Mail in the future; and what plans are being considered to provide shares to (a) employees and (b) others.

Barry Gardiner: As I said in my previous answer, the Government have given the Royal Mail greater commercial freedom and has no plans to privatise it. Neither do we have plans to issue shares to employees or others.
	Our ambition is to see a publicly owned Royal Mail fully restored to good health providing customers with excellent service and its employees with rewarding employment.

Departmental Staff

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many full-time equivalents have worked for the Department for each of the last five financial years for which figures are available.

Richard Caborn: I refer the hon. Member to table C of the annual publication "Civil Service Statistics" which provides staff numbers in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and its agency in each year from 1998 to 2004, copies of which are laid in the Libraries of both Houses. 2004 figures have been published on the Cabinet Office website.

Heritage Economic Regeneration Scheme

Andrew Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of the likely impact the new evaluation methodology of the Heritage Economic Regeneration Scheme will have on the review of area heritage grant schemes; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the impact of the Partnership Schemes in Conservation Areas programme; when a decision will be taken on extending the programme to other areas; and if she will make a statement.

David Lammy: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 28 June 2005, Official Report, columns 1390–91W.
	English Heritage's Heritage Economic Regeneration Scheme (HERS) was replaced by Partnership Schemes in Conservation Areas in April 2005. This reflected its decision to devolve management of its grant schemes to its regional offices. As with HERS, the scheme applies to any conservation area in an area of deprivation.
	English Heritage is reviewing the method by which such schemes are evaluated as part of its work on the Heritage Dividend. Together with the Heritage Lottery Fund and other grant giving agencies, it is also exploring the possibility of a joint area- based grant scheme.

Housing Allowance

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the local housing allowance rates are for each rental category in each of the original pathfinder authorities.

James Plaskitt: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave the hon. Member for Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Central (Jim Cousins) on 29 June 2005, Official Report, column 1558W.

RAF (Permanent Commissions)

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of service (a) men and (b) women who successfully applied to sign on for a permanent commission in the RAF, broken down by (i) supply, (ii) administration and (iii) engineering in each of the last five years.

Don Touhig: The following figures show the numbers of personnel who converted from a short service commission to a permanent commission during the calendar years shown.
	
		
			  Engineer Supply Administration 
			  Male Female Male Female Male Female 
		
		
			 2000 10 (1)— 10 (1)— 15 15 
			 2001 5 (1)— 10 (1)— 15 15 
			 2002  (1)— 5 (1)— 10 15 
			 2003 (1)— (1)— 5 (1)— 10 15 
			 2004 (1)— (1)— 5 0 0 (1)— 
		
	
	(1) — denotes a number less than 5.
	Note:
	Figures are rounded to the nearest 5.

Litter

William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps are being taken to discourage the dropping of litter on streets; what penalties apply to this offence; and how many prosecutions there were in each council area in the last period for which figures are available.

Angela Smith: It is an offence to drop litter under Article 3 of the Litter (Northern Ireland) Order 1994. A person guilty of such an offence is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale which currently stands at £2,500.
	A district council may, however, offer the person the opportunity of discharging any liability to conviction for the offence by payment of a fixed penalty. The amount of the fixed penalty was doubled last year to £50 and proposals are included in the draft Local Government (NI) Order 2005 which is currently before Parliament to allow councils to retain these fines for spending on litter related activities.
	The Department of the Environment is also currently considering the range of measures in the recent Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005, which among other things, strengthen the legislation for dealing with litter in England and Wales, with a view to making recommendations on how they might be brought forward in the Northern Ireland context.
	The Department does not hold information on the number of prosecutions for littering in each council area.

Ahmadi Muslim Community

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of (a) Pakistan and (b) Bangladesh on the persecution of the Ahmadi Muslim community; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: We regularly raise our human rights concerns with the Government of Pakistan, including our concerns about the experiences of religious minorities including the Ahmadi community. We judge that collective action through the EU is the most effective method of voicing these concerns. The EU most recently demarched the Government of Pakistan on these subjects on 30 June 2005.
	We are concerned by the apparent increase in intolerance towards religious minorities in Bangladesh, including the Ahmadi community. We regularly raise these concerns with the Government of Bangladesh, both bilaterally and with EU partners. My hon. Friend the Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Douglas Alexander) did so with the Bangladeshi Prime Minister on a visit to Dhaka on 21 December. The local EU presidency did so most recently during a call on the Bangladeshi Home Minister on 14 May.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to reply to the letter to him dated 26 May from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to Mr. Mohammad Chaudhary.

Kim Howells: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary replied to my right hon. Friend's letter of 26 May concerning Mr. Mohammad Chaudhary on 13 June. UKvisas resent a copy of this letter on 6 July.

Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Walsall, North of 26 May to the Home Office which was subsequently transferred to his Department, regarding a constituent.

Kim Howells: holding answer 11 July 2005
	My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman of Tottenham) replied to my hon. Friend on 7 July.

EU Constitution

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the requirement under Article III-305 of the EU constitution for the United Kingdom to present a common EU position at Commonwealth meetings where such a position has been reached; and by what mechanism the EU Foreign Minister would be permitted to address the meeting on his request.

Douglas Alexander: Neither Article HI-305, nor any other article in the EU constitutional treaty, would require the UK alone or any other member state to present the common EU position in Commonwealth meetings. But Article III-305 would require all member states, including the UK, to uphold previously agreed positions in other international organisations. This provision has existed since Maastricht. Because we have a veto on foreign and defence policy, these EU positions would have been previously agreed by us. In the Commonwealth, this requirement would apply to the UK, Malta and Cyprus.
	There is no provision in the constitutional treaty for the EU Foreign Minister to request to address a Commonwealth meeting. However, Article III-296.2 of the EU constitutional treaty makes clear that he or she would represent agreed positions of the EU in international meetings and at international conferences, acting on behalf of the European Union. So, for example, if the members of the Commonwealth were to hold a joint meeting with the European Union, the Union Minister for Foreign Affairs could represent the European Union if the meeting was relevant to his/her external portfolio. The European Union is not a member of the Commonwealth and the UK would continue to represent itself in Commonwealth meetings.

EU Constitution

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those EU countries that have indicated a willingness to continue ratifying the EU constitution; and whether ratification would be made by (a) Parliament and (b) after a plebiscite in each case.

Douglas Alexander: Belgium, Malta and Estonia intend to proceed with parliamentary ratification of the EU constitutional treaty. Luxembourg held a referendum on 10 July. The Czech Republic intends to proceed with ratification of the EU constitutional treaty by referendum, although the requisite enabling legislation has yet to be passed and the Government have announced that any ratification is unlikely before mid 2006. The Irish Government have announced that they will not set a date for their referendum. Poland has not decided how, if at all, to proceed with ratification and the Polish President has said that a referendum in 2005 looks "unrealistic". The Swedish Government have announced that they will seek to postpone their parliamentary ratification process and the Finnish Government have postponed parliamentary ratification. The Danish and Portuguese Governments have postponed their referendums. The treaty was approved by Parliament in Cyprus on 30 June.

European Union

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs below what minimum share of the popular vote sustaining a Government a country would be assessed as no longer a functioning democracy for the purposes of the Copenhagen criteria applied to membership of the European Union.

Douglas Alexander: The Copenhagen criteria require that a candidate country have "stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities" in order to open negotiations. The Copenhagen criteria do not specify a minimum share of the popular vote sustaining a Government necessary for a country to be considered democratic. The Commission is responsible for advising whether the Copenhagen criteria are met and will look at the individual circumstances of each country in reaching its assessment.

France (Gypsies)

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the French Government concerning its treatment of indigenous gypsies.

Douglas Alexander: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not made representations to the French Government on this issue but officials remain in regular contact on the full range of social and human rights issues. The human rights of members of the Roma community are protected by the core international human rights instruments, to which France is a party.

Bedfordshire (Statistics)

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the levels of long-term (a) adult and (b) youth unemployment were in (i) the county of Bedfordshire and (ii) the constituency of Mid-Bedfordshire in each year since 1997.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl to Mrs Dorries dated 12 July 2005
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about unemployment. I am replying in his absence. (11009)
	Table 1 attached shows the numbers of long-term adult unemployed (over 12 months) and long-term youth (aged 16 to 24) unemployed in the county of Bedfordshire, for the periods ending in February each year from 1998 to 2004, the latest period for which data are available. Table 2 shows similar information for the Mid-Bedfordshire constituency. These estimates are based on annual local area Labour Force Survey data which as with any sample survey is subject to sampling variability.
	The Office for National Statistics also compiles statistics of those claiming Jobseeker's Allowance for local areas. Tables 3 and 4 attached show the annual average number of adult Job Seeker's Allowance claimants, claiming for over 12 months, and the corresponding number of Job Seeker's Allowance claimants aged 18 to 24 (claiming for over 12 months) resident in the county of Bedfordshire and Mid- Bedfordshire respectively for each year from 1997 to 2004.
	The data in tables 3 and 4 are published on the Office for National Statistics Nomis(r) website: www.nomisweb.co.uk.
	
		Table 1: Numbers of long-term unemployed (over 12 months) resident in the county of Bedfordshire
		
			 Thousands 
			 12 months ending February All Youth (aged 16–24) 
		
		
			 1998 n/a n/a 
			 1999 3 (2)— 
			 2000 2 (2)— 
			 2001 1 (2)— 
			 2002 1 (2)— 
			 2003 1 (2)— 
			 2004 2 1 
		
	
	n/a=Not available.
	(2) Zero or disclosive sample size.
	Source:
	Annual local area Labour Force Survey Data not available.
	
		Table 2: Numbers of long-term unemployed (over 12 months) resident in the Mid-Bedfordshire constituency
		
			 Thousands 
			 12 months ending February All Youth (aged 16–24) 
		
		
			 1998 n/a n/a 
			 1999 1 (3)— 
			 2000 (3)— (3)— 
			 2001 (3)— (3)— 
			 2002 (3)— (3)— 
			 2003 (3)— (3)— 
			 2004 (3)— (3)— 
		
	
	n/a=Data not available.
	(3) Zero or disclosive sample size.
	Source:
	Annual local area Labour Force Survey
	
		Table 3: Numbers of JSA claimants (claiming over 12 months) resident in the county of Bedfordshire
		
			 Annual averages All Youth (aged 18–24) 
		
		
			 1997 1,635 230 
			 1998 1,015 120 
			 1999 780 30 
			 2000 605 15 
			 2001 555 10 
			 2002 510 10 
			 2003 540 10 
			 2004 520 20 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Data rounded to nearest 5 (disclosure control).
	2. Computerised claims only.
	Source:
	Jobcentre Plus Administrative system
	
		Table 4: Numbers of JSA claimants (claiming over 12 months) resident in the Mid-Bedfordshire constituency
		
			 Annual averages All ages Youth (aged 18–24) 
		
		
			 1997 245 30 
			 1998 135 15 
			 1999 120 5 
			 2000 85 0 
			 2001 75 0 
			 2002 70 0 
			 2003 80 0 
			 2004 60 0 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Data rounded to nearest 5 (disclosure control).
	2. Computerised claims only.
	Source:
	Jobcentre Plus Administrative system

Bedfordshire (Statistics)

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many primary school-aged children there are expected to be in (a) Bedfordshire local education authority and (b) the constituency of Mid-Bedfordshire in each of the next five academic years.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Jil Matheson to Mrs. Dorries, dated 12 July 2005
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your question concerning the number of primary school age children there are predicted to be in Bedfordshire Local Education Authority and the constituency of Mid-Bedfordshire for the next five academic years. I am replying in his absence. (11011)
	Table 1 shows the mid-year population of 5–11 year olds in the County of Bedfordshire taken from the official 2003-based Sub-national Population Projections for England. The projections are produced by Local Authority area and so data at a Local Education Area can only be provided if the areas are coterminous, which in this case they are. These population projections are demographic trend-based projections that indicate what the population levels of an area are likely to be if recently observed trends in fertility, mortality and migration were to continue. They take no account of future development which may affect trends.
	Unfortunately, the Mid Bedfordshire Parliamentary Constituency area is not coterminous with the Local Authority areas—it covers parts of Mid Bedfordshire District and South Bedfordshire District and so it is not possible to provide projection data for this area.
	
		Table 1: Bedfordshire projected population of (4)primaryschool age children
		
			  Thousands 
		
		
			 2005 35.3 
			 2006 34.9 
			 2007 34.5 
			 2008 34.3 
			 2009 34.3 
			 2010 34.4 
		
	
	(4) Primary school age defined as 5 to 11-year–olds.
	Source:
	ONS 2003-based Subnational population projections

Bedfordshire (Statistics)

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many pensioners lived in the constituency of Mid-Bedfordshire in the last year for which figures are available.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl to Mrs. Nadine Dorries, dated 12 July 2005
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many pensioners lived in the constituency of Mid-Bedfordshire in the last year for which figures are available. I am replying in his absence. (11012)
	Mid-year population estimates are not available for Parliamentary Constituencies. I have therefore provided figures taken from the 2001 Census.
	The table below shows the number of people of pensionable age living in Mid-Bedfordshire constituency on Census day (29 April 2001). The figures have been extracted from Table CAS002 on the CD supplement to the "Census 2001 Census Area Statistics for Parliamentary Constituencies in England and Wales", which is available on request from Census Customer Services (census.customerservices@ons.gov.uk).
	
		Total number of people, and those of pensionable age living in Mid-Bedfordshire constituency on Census day (29 April 2001)
		
			 England 
			 Area All people People of pensionable age(5) 
		
		
			 Mid-Bedfordshire 92,855 14,492 
		
	
	(5) Pensionable Age is 65 and over for males and 60 and over for females
	Source:
	2001 Census Report for Parliamentary Constituencies

Bedfordshire (Statistics)

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer of how many deaths in (a) the county of Bedfordshire and (b) the constituency of Mid-Bedfordshire alcohol was the primary cause in each year since 2000.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl to Mrs. Dorries, dated 12 July 2005
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question asking in respect of how many deaths in (a) the county of Bedfordshire and (b) the constituency of Mid- Bedfordshire alcohol was the primary cause in each year since 2000. I am replying in his absence. (11015)
	The latest year for which figures are available is 2004. The attached table shows the numbers of deaths among residents of the County of Bedfordshire and Mid Bedfordshire Parliamentary Constituency where the underlying cause of death indicated a condition directly related to alcohol use in the years 2000 to 2004.
	
		Alcohol-related deaths(6) to usual residents of the county of Bedfordshire(7) and Mid Bedfordshire parliamentary constituency, registered 2000 to 2004
		
			 Number of deaths 
			  Bedfordshire Mid Bedfordshire 
		
		
			 2000 28 6 
			 2001 32 9 
			 2002 28 7 
			 2003 40 9 
			 2004 34 9 
		
	
	(6) For the year 2000 the cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9). The codes used by ONS to define alcohol-related deaths are listed below:
	291—Alcoholic psychoses
	303—Alcohol dependence syndrome
	305.0—Non-dependent abuse of alcohol
	425.5—Alcoholic cardiomyopathy
	571—Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis
	E860—Accidental poisoning by alcohol
	For the years 2001–04 the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) was used. To maintain comparability with earlier years the following codes were used:
	F10—Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol
	142.6—Alcoholic cardiomyopathy
	K70—Alcoholic liver disease
	K73—Chronic hepatitis, not elsewhere classified
	K74—Fibrosis and cirrhosis of liver
	X45—Accidental poisoning by and exposure to alcohol
	Deaths were selected using the original underlying cause.
	(7) Figures provided relate to the current county of Bedfordshire. This excludes the unitary authority of Luton, created in 1997, which was part of the former county.
	The selection of codes to define alcohol-related deaths is described in:
	Baker A and Rooney C (2003). Recent trends in alcohol-related mortality, and the impact of ICD-10 on the monitoring of these deaths in England and Wales. "Health Statistics Quarterly 17, pp 5–14".

Breast Cancer

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the incidence of breast cancer per 1,000 women has been in (a) England, (b) the county of Bedfordshire and (c) Mid-Bedfordshire parliamentary constituency in each year since 1990.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl to Mrs. Dorries, dated 12 July 2005
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning what the incidence of breast cancer per 1,000 women has been in (a) England, (b) the County of Bedfordshire and (c) Mid-Bedfordshire parliamentary constituency in each year since 1990. I am replying in his absence. (11104)
	The most recent available figures for the incidence of female breast cancer are for the year 2002. Age-standardised incidence rates (directly standardised to the European standard population) for England and the current county of Bedfordshire in each year since 1990 are given in the attached table. The rates have been provided per 100,000 women to assist the interpretation of the trends. Incidence rates are not available centrally for Parliamentary Constituencies.
	
		Directly age-standardised incidence rates1 of female breast2 cancer per 100,000 women in England and Bedfordshire, 1990–2002
		
			  England Bedfordshire(10) 
		
		
			 1990 98.9 102.6 
			 1991 105.3 109.1 
			 1992 106.6 152.6 
			 1993 101.5 109.5 
			 1994 103.7 121.2 
			 1995 103.9 115.0 
			 1996 105.1 97.9 
			 1997 108.1 159.4 
			 1998 112.7 139.8 
			 1999 116.5 101.6 
			 2000 113.8 119.5 
			 2001 114.5 123.9 
			 2002 114.0 109.7 
		
	
	(8) Age-standardised rates per 100,000 population are directly standardised to the European standard population. In detailed analyses of trends in incidence and mortality over time for a particular cancer, ONS use age-standardised rates. These control for differences in the size and age structure of the population and allow unbiased comparison of rates over time.
	(9) From 1990 to 1994, International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) code 174; from 1995 to 2002, International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) code C50.
	(10) Figures provided relate to the current county of Bedfordshire. This excludes the unitary authority of Luton, created in 1997, which was part of the former county.
	Source:
	Office for National Statistics

Expenditure and Revenue (Scotland)

Alex Salmond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the total relative surplus or deficit of Government expenditure and revenue in Scotland, (a) including and (b) excluding the gross domestic product share of the United Kingdom surplus or deficit of the general Government borrowing requirement, for each year since 1978–79, assuming a constant relationship between the Scottish deficit, as published in the Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland 2002–03, and the United Kingdom general Government borrowing requirement, excluding privatisation proceeds and North Sea revenues and including in Scotland's revenue total a 90 per cent. share of North Sea oil revenue and a gross domestic product share of privatisation proceeds.

Des Browne: The Treasury does not produce a breakdown of aggregate revenue and borrowing by country and region. "Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland" is produced by the Scottish Executive.

Illegitimate Births

David Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the rate of overall illegitimate births as a percentage of all births in each of the past 20 years.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. Amess, dated 12 July 2005
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking for the percentage of births which were illegitimate, for each of the last 20 years. I am replying in his absence. (10973)
	The information requested is shown in the attached table.
	
		Percentage of live births born outside marriage 1985 to 2004 England and Wales
		
			  Percentage outside marriage 
		
		
			 1985 19.2 
			 1986 21.4 
			 1987 23.2 
			 1988 25.6 
			 1989 27.0 
			 1990 28.3 
			 1991 30.2 
			 1992 31.2 
			 1993 32.2 
			 1994 32.4 
			 1995 33.9 
			 1996 35.8 
			 1997 37.0 
			 1998 37.8 
			 1999 38.9 
			 2000 39.5 
			 2001 40.0 
			 2002 40.6 
			 2003 41.4 
			 2004 42.2 
		
	
	Source:
	ONS

Oil Prices

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average (a) dollar and (b) sterling price for a barrel of crude oil extracted in the United Kingdom was in each of the last 10 years; and how much revenue accrued to the Exchequer from oil production in each year.

John Healey: The following table gives DTI estimates for each of the last 10 years of the average sterling price received by UK Continental Shelf producers for a barrel of crude. These have been converted into US dollar prices using the average annual exchange rate for each year. All prices are nominal.
	
		
			  Estimated price of crude oil extracted in the UK  (£ per barrel) Estimated price price of crude oil in extracted in the UK  ($ per barrel) 
		
		
			 1995 10.6 16.7 
			 1996 12.7 19.8 
			 1997 11.2 18.4 
			 1998 7.9 13.0 
			 1999 10.4 16.9 
			 2000 18.1 27.3 
			 2001 16.5 23.7 
			 2002 16.6 24.9 
			 2003 17.9 29.1 
			 2004 20.1 36.7 
		
	
	Information on United Kingdom tax revenues from North Sea oil and gas production can be found at:
	"http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/corporate_tax/table11–11.pdf"

Petrol Prices

David Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what research he is (a) conducting and (b) planning to conduct into the effects of higher fuel prices on domestic food prices;
	(2)  hat research he is (a) conducting and (b) planning to conduct into the effects of higher fuel prices on air travel.

John Healey: The Chancellor considers relevant social, economic and environmental factors in making taxation policy.
	All taxation policy is kept under review and any changes are announced by the Chancellor in the context of his Budget statement.

PFI Projects

John Hayes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total value is of off-balance sheet private finance initiative contracts.

John Healey: The Treasury publication "PFI: Meeting the Investment Challenge" showed that £15.3 billion of PFI projects by capital value are accounted for off-balance sheet. Data on projects to have reached financial close since this publication can be established from departmental accounts (available on Department's websites) and the HM Treasury "PFI Signed Projects List" (available online at www.hm-treasury.gov.uk). The balance sheet treatment of PFI projects is determined by an independent auditor following United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice, including Financial Reporting Standards issued by the independent Accounting Standards Board (ASB).

Population Statistics

Owen Paterson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the age structure of the population of (a) Oswestry borough and (b) North Shropshire district has been in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. Owen Paterson, dated 12 July 2005
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your question concerning the age structure of the population of (a) Oswestry borough and (b) North Shropshire district in each of the last five years for which figures are available. I am replying in his absence. (10930)
	The most recent population estimates published are for mid-2003. (Estimates for mid-2004 will be published on 25 August 2005.) Therefore, the attached Table 1 provides data for Oswestry borough and Table 2 for North Shropshire district for mid-1999 to mid-2003. I have provided population estimates by sex and quinary age band for both of these areas.
	Tables showing these data and data for an alternative age grouping (0–15, 16–59/64, and 60/65+) can be found on the National Statistics website under "Current Releases" at www.statistics.gov.uk/popest.
	
		Table 1: Mid-year population estimates for Oswestry borough Thousand
		
			  Mid-1999 Mid-2000 Mid-2001 
			 Age bands Males Females Total Males Females Total Males Females Total 
		
		
			 All ages 17.3 18.8 36.1 17.7 19.0 36.8 18.1 19.3 37.3 
			 0 0.2 0.2 0.4 0.2 0.2 0.4 0.2 0.2 0.4 
			 1–4 0.9 0.8 1.7 0.8 0.8 1.6 0.8 0.8 1.6 
			 5–9 1.1 1.1 2.3 1.2 1.1 2.3 1.2 1.1 2.3 
			 10–14 1.2 1.2 2.4 1.4 1.3 2.6 1.3 1.3 2.6 
			 15–19 1.1 1.2 2.2 1.1 1.2 2.3 1.2 1.2 2.4 
			 20–24 0.7 0.8 1.5 0.8 0.8 1.6 0.8 0.8 1.7 
			 25–29 1.2 1.2 2.4 1.1 1.1 2.2 1.1 1.1 2.1 
			 30–34 1.4 1.4 2.7 1.4 1.4 2.7 1.3 1.4 2.7 
			 35–39 1.3 1.3 2.7 1.4 1.4 2.8 1.4 1.4 2.8 
			 40–44 1.2 1.2 2.4 1.2 1.2 2.4 1.3 1.2 2.5 
			 45–49 1.2 1.2 2.4 1.2 1.2 2.4 1.2 1.2 2.4 
			 50–54 1.3 1.3 2.6 1.3 1.3 2.7 1.3 1.3 2.7 
			 55–59 1.0 1.1 2.2 1.1 1.2 2.3 1.1 1.2 2.4 
			 60–64 0.9 1.0 1.9 0.9 1.0 2.0 0.9 1.1 2.0 
			 65–69 0.8 0.9 1.8 0.8 0.9 1.8 0.9 0.9 1.8 
			 70–74 0.8 0.9 1.6 0.8 0.9 1.6 0.8 0.9 1.6 
			 75–79 0.6 0.9 1.5 0.6 0.9 1.5 0.6 0.9 1.4 
			 80–84 0.3 0.6 0.9 0.3 0.6 0.9 0.4 0.6 1.0 
			 85+ 0.2 0.6 0.7 0.2 0.6 0.8 0.2 0.6 0.8 
		
	
	
		Thousand
		
			  Mid-2002 Mid-2003 
			  Males Females Total Males Females Total 
		
		
			 All ages 18.3 19.5 37.7 18.5 19.7 38.2 
			 0 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.4 
			 1–4 0.8 0.8 1.6 0.8 0.8 1.6 
			 5–9 1.2 1.1 2.3 1.2 1.1 2.3 
			 10–14 1.4 1.4 2.7 1.4 1.4 2.8 
			 15–19 1.3 1.2 2.4 1.3 1.2 2.5 
			 20–24 0.9 0.9 1.8 0.9 0.9 1.8 
			 25–29 1.0 1.0 1.9 0.9 0.9 1.9 
			 30–34 1.3 1.4 2.7 1.3 1.4 2.7 
			 35–39 1.4 1.4 2.9 1.4 1.5 2.9 
			 40–44 1.3 1.3 2.7 1.4 1.3 2.7 
			 45–49 1.2 1.2 2.4 1.2 1.3 2.5 
			 50–54 1.3 1.3 2.6 1.3 1.3 2.6 
			 55–59 1.2 1.3 2.5 1.3 1.3 2.6 
			 60–64 1.0 1.1 2.1 1.0 1.2 2.2 
			 65–69 0.9 1.0 1.8 0.9 1.0 1.9 
			 70–74 0.8 0.9 1.7 0.8 0.9 1.7 
			 75–79 0.6 0.8 1.4 0.6 0.8 1.4 
			 80–84 0.4 0.6 1.0 0.4 0.7 1.1 
			 85+ 0.2 0.6 0.8 0.2 0.6 0.8 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Mid-2003 population estimates are the latest data available. Mid-2004 population estimates will be published on 25 August 2005.
	2. Population estimates are shown in thousands and rounded to the nearest 100 people.
	3. Figures may not add exactly due to rounding.
	Source:
	Office for National Statistics
	
		Table 2: Mid-year population estimates for north Shropshire district Thousand
		
			  Mid-1999 Mid-2000 Mid-2001 
			 Age bands Males Females Total Males Females Total Males Females Total 
		
		
			 All ages 28.0 28.0 55.9 28.3 28.2 56.5 28.6 28.6 57.2 
			 0 0.3 0.3 0.6 0.3 0.3 0.6 0.3 0.3 0.6 
			 1–4 1.3 1.2 2.6 1.3 1.2 2.6 1.4 1.3 2.7 
			 5–9 1.8 1.6 3.5 1.8 1.6 3.5 1.8 1.7 3.5 
			 10–14 1.8 1.6 3.4 1.8 1.7 3.5 1.9 1.7 3.6 
			 15–19 2.0 1.6 3.6 2.1 1.6 3.7 2.1 1.6 3.7 
			 20–24 1.3 1.1 2.4 1.4 1.1 2.5 1.4 1.2 2.6 
			 25–29 1.8 1.5 3.3 1.6 1.5 3.1 1.5 1.4 2.9 
			 30–34 2.1 2.0 4.0 2.0 2.0 4.0 2.0 2.0 4.0 
			 35–39 2.1 2.0 4.1 2.2 2.1 4.2 2.2 2.2 4.4 
			 40–44 1.9 1.8 3.7 2.0 1.9 3.8 2.1 2.0 4.0 
			 45–49 1.9 1.9 3.8 1.9 1.8 3.7 1.9 1.9 3.8 
			 50–54 2.1 2.2 4.3 2.1 2.2 4.3 2.1 2.2 4.2 
			 55–59 1.7 1.7 3.4 1.8 1.8 3.6 1.9 1.9 3.8 
			 60–64 1.6 1.6 3.1 1.6 1.6 3.2 1.6 1.6 3.2 
			 65–69 1.4 1.5 2.9 1.4 1.5 2.8 1.4 1.5 2.8 
			 70–74 1.2 1.3 2.5 1.2 1.3 2.6 1.2 1.4 2.6 
			 75–79 0.9 1.3 2.2 0.9 1.3 2.2 0.9 1.2 2.1 
			 80–84 0.5 0.8 1.3 0.5 0.8 1.3 0.5 0.9 1.4 
			 85+ 0.3 0.9 1.2 0.3 1.0 1.3 0.3 0.9 1.3 
		
	
	
		Thousand
		
			  Mid-2002 Mid-2003 
			 Age bands Males Females Total Males Females Total 
		
		
			 All ages 29.1 29.1 58.2 29.2 29.2 58.4 
			 0 0.3 0.3 0.6 0.3 0.3 0.6 
			 1–4 1.3 1.3 2.6 1.3 1.3 2.5 
			 5–9 1.9 1.7 3.6 1.8 1.6 3.5 
			 10–14 2.0 1.8 3.8 2.0 1.8 3.8 
			 15–19 2.2 1.6 3.8 2.1 1.7 3.8 
			 20–24 1.6 1.2 2.8 1.7 1.3 3.0 
			 25–29 1.4 1.3 2.7 1.3 1.2 2.5 
			 30–34 1.9 2.0 3.9 1.9 1.8 3.7 
			 35–39 2.2 2.2 4.5 2.2 2.3 4.5 
			 40–44 2.2 2.0 4.2 2.2 2.1 4.3 
			 45–49 1.9 1.9 3.8 2.0 1.9 3.9 
			 50–54 2.0 2.1 4.1 2.0 2.0 4.0 
			 55–59 2.1 2.1 4.2 2.1 2.2 4.3 
			 60–64 1.6 1.6 3.2 1.6 1.7 3.3 
			 65–69 1.4 1.5 2.9 1.5 1.5 3.0 
			 70–74 1.3 1.4 2.6 1.3 1.4 2.7 
			 75–79 0.9 1.2 2.1 0.9 1.2 2.1 
			 80–84 0.6 0.9 1.5 0.6 1.0 1.6 
			 85+ 0.3 1.0 1.3 0.3 0.9 1.2 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Mid-2003 population estimates are the latest data available. Mid-2004 population estimates will be published on 25 August 2005.
	2. Population estimates are shown in thousands and rounded to the nearest 100 people.
	3. Figures may not add exactly due to rounding
	Source:
	Office for National Statistics

Press Officers

Paul Burstow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many press officers the Department employed in each year since 1997; and what the cost was in each year.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to the answers given on 1 April 2004, Official Report, column 1683W and 26 April 2004, Official Report, column 754W.
	The number of press officers employed has remained broadly constant at nine, increasing to 11 in 2004–05.
	The costs for 2004–05 are £317,559.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will commission research into the effects of making tax credit awards for fixed periods; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Government carefully examined the issue of how tax credits could respond to changes in families' income and circumstances, and consulted on it when designing the child and working tax credits. A consultation document, 'New Tax Credits Supporting families, making work pay and tackling poverty', was published in July 2001.
	In the light of that consultation exercise, the April 2002 publication "The Child and Working Tax Credits: The Modernisation of Britain's Tax and Benefit System Number Ten" set out how the system would work.
	The Government decided that tax credits should be designed to tailor support to families' specific circumstances, and to respond to their changing needs, providing most support when their need is greatest.

Testicular Cancer

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the incidence of testicular cancer per 1,000 men has been in (a) England, (b) the county of Bedfordshire and (c) Mid-Bedfordshire parliamentary constituency in each year since 1990.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl to Mrs. Dorries, dated 12 July 2005
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning what the incidence of testicular cancer per 1,000 men has been in (a) England, (b) the County of Bedfordshire and (c) Mid-Bedfordshire Parliamentary Constituency in each year since 1990.1 am replying in his absence. (10907)
	The most recent available figures for the incidence of testicular cancer are for the year 2002. Age-standardised incidence rates (directly standardised to the European standard population) for England in each year since 1990 are given in the attached table. The rates have been provided per 100,000 men to assist the interpretation of the trends.
	In each of the years since 1990 there were fewer than 20 cases of testicular cancer in the current county of Bedfordshire, too few to reliably calculate annual age-standardised incidence rates. For the period 1990–2002 the age-standardised incidence rate for this county was 6.2 per 100,000 men.
	Incidence rates are not available centrally for Parliamentary Constituencies.
	
		Directly age-standardised incidence rates(12) of testicular(13) cancer per 100,000 men in England, 1990–2002
		
			  England 
		
		
			 1990 4.9 
			 1991 5.2 
			 1992 5.4 
			 1993 5.5 
			 1994 5.3 
			 1995 5.9 
			 1996 5.8 
			 1997 5.7 
			 1998 6.2 
			 1999 6.8 
			 2000 6.7 
			 2001 6.6 
			 2002 6.2 
		
	
	(12) Age-standardised rates per 100,000 population are directly standardised to the European standard population. In detailed analyses of trends in incidence and mortality over time for a particular cancer, ONS use age-standardised rates. These control for differences in the size and age structure of the population and allow unbiased comparison of rates over time.
	(13) From 1990 to 1994, International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) code 186; from 1995 to 2002, International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) code C62.
	Source:
	Office for National Statistics

Assaults (Race/Religion)

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the number of members of the (a) Jewish, (b) Muslim, (c) Hindu, (d) Sikh and (e) Christian faiths who were found guilty of assaults in which race or religion was assessed as a factor in each of the last three years for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many people of (a) white European, (b) white British, (c) African-Caribbean and (d) Gypsy Traveller extraction were convicted of assaults in which race or religion was assessed as a factor in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

Paul Goggins: It is not possible from the statistics collected on the Home Office Court Proceedings Database to identify different religious groups, as this data is not collected centrally. Nor is there currently robust data available on the ethnicity of people convicted of assaults, in which race or religion was assessed as a factor. Available information on the number of offenders found guilty of racial assaults, religious assaults and racial or religious assaults, England and Wales, 2001–03 is contained in the following table. Data for 2004 statistics will be available in the autumn.
	
		Number of offenders found guilty at all courts for racial, religious and racial or religious assault offences,England and Wales 2001–03(14).
		
			 Offence Statute 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 Racially aggravated common assault Crime and Disorder Act 1998 S.29(1Xc)and(3) 220 284 336 
			 Religiously aggravated common assault Crime and Disorder Act 1998 S.29(1Xc)and(3) n/a 1 4 
			 Racially or religiously aggravated common assault Crime and Disorder Act 1998 S.29(1)(c)and(3) n/a 2 20 
			 Racially aggravated actual bodily harm Offences against the Person Act 1861 S.47 (in part) as amended by Crime and Disorder Act 1998 S.29 (1) (b) and (2) 83 122 118 
			 Religiously aggravated actual bodily harm Offences against the Person Act 1861 S.47 (in part) as amended by Crime and Disorder Act 1998 S.29 (1) (b) and (2) n/a n/a 2 
			 Racially or religiously aggravated actual bodily harm Offences against the Person Act 1861 S.47 (in part) as amended by Crime and Disorder Act 1998 S.29 (1) (b) and (2) n/a n/a 6 
			 Racially aggravated malicious wounding or GBH Offences Against the Person Act 1861 S.20 as amended by Crime and Disorder act S.29 (1) (a) and (2) 28 19 19 
			 Religiously aggravated wounding or inflicting grievous bodily harm (inflicting bodily injury with or without weapon Offences Against the Person Act 1861 S.20 as amended by Crime and Disorder act S.29 (1) (a) and (2) n/a 2 2 
			 Racially or religiously aggravated malicious wounding or GBH Offences Against the Person Act 1861 S.20 as amended by Crime and Disorder act S.29 (1) (a) and (2) n/a 1 10 
			 Total  331 431 517 
		
	
	n/a = not available.
	(14) These data are on a principal offence basis.

Local Authority Regulatory Services

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance the Government have given to (a) local authorities and (b) local authorities' co-ordinators of regulatory services, on tackling (i) underage drinking, (ii) solvent abuse and (iii) bogus marriages.

Hazel Blears: The Government taking action on underage drinking, solvent abuse and bogus marriages.
	(i) The results of a campaign aimed at tackling alcohol-related disorder and underage drinking, involving the police, trading standards and other partners, were published in a document called "Lessons Learned from the Alcohol Misuse Enforcement Campaign" last year. This included lessons learned from underage test purchasing operations undertaken during the campaign. The lessons learned document was circulated to all Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships. In addition, on 8 June 2005 we introduced the Violent Crime Reduction Bill which includes new powers for the police to impose 48-hour bans on pubs and clubs persistently selling to underage drinkers.
	(ii) The Home Office and other Government Departments have worked in partnership with the Department of Health who have developed a framework for tackling volatile substance abuse. The draft framework outlines a number of key recommendations that Government will take forward in partnership with key stakeholders at local, regional and national level.
	(iii) Registrars and local authorities coordinators of regulatory services (LACORS) are both represented on a joint Home Office/Registrars Group which discusses issues relating to marriage abuse. The General Register Office has provided guidance on identifying bogus marriages and on the implementation of the provisions contained in sections 19 to 25 of the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants etc.) Act 2004 to combat bogus marriages.

Off-licence Sales

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions there have been for off-licence alcohol sales to people (a) already under the influence of alcohol and (b) under the age of 18 years in each of the last 10 years; if he will break down by region the number of defendants; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: The available information from the Home Office Court Proceedings database gives the number of defendants proceeded against in England and Wales, 1994 to 2003, for the offences of: "Selling etc., intoxicating liquor to persons under 18 for consumption on the premises" (including "wholesaler selling intoxicating liquor to a person under 18") and "permitting drunkenness or riotous conduct on the premise, or selling liquor to a drunken person", broken down by region.
	Statistics for 2004 will be available in the autumn.
	We introduced the Violent Crime Reduction Bill on the 8 June 2005. The Bill includes a power for police to impose 48-hour bans on pubs and clubs persistently selling alcohol to underage drinkers. The provisions apply to all premises licensed to retail alcohol, including off-licenses, convenience stores and supermarkets, and to any person giving a temporary event notice which authorizes sales of alcohol.
	
		Number of defendants proceeded against for certain offences relating to the sale of alcohol, by region(15) England and Wales 1994 to 2003
		
			 Offence description Statute Region 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 
		
		
			 Permitting drunkenness or riotous conduct on the premises or selling liquor to a drunken person Licensing Act 1964, Sec 172; Licensing Act (Occasional Permissions) Act 1983, Sec 3 (Sch para 6) North East — — 1 — — 
			   North West 2 — — 2 1 
			   Yorkshire and Humberside — 2 — — — 
			   East Midlands — — — — — 
			   West Midlands 3 — — 2 1 
			   East of England 3 — — 1 — 
			   London 3 11 2 1 11 
			   South East 2 3 2 3 9 
			   South West — — — — — 
			   Wales 1 3 3 — — 
			   England and Wales 14 19 8 9 22 
			 Selling intoxicating liquor to persons under 18 for consumption on the premises(16) Licensing Act 1964, Sees 169 A&B; Licensing (Occasional Permissions) Act 1983, Schedule (Sec 3) para 4(1) North East 12 8 23 34 94 
			   Northwest 19 47 64 55 58 
			   Yorkshire and Humberside 7 8 12 16 22 
			   East Midlands 8 19 19 20 15 
			   West Midlands 9 26 29 25 20 
			   East of England 27 12 18 18 18 
			   London 11 19 14 13 13 
			   South East 17 10 19 9 18 
			   South West 12 20 31 2 40 
			   Wales 16 29 22 23 13 
			   England and Wales 138 198 251 215 311 
		
	
	
		
			 Offence description Statute Region 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 Permitting drunkenness or riotous conduct on the premises or selling liquor to a drunken person Licensing Act 1964, Sec 172; Licensing Act (Occasional Permissions) Act 1983, Sec 3 (Sch para 6) North East — — — — — 
			   North West — 2 2 — — 
			   Yorkshire and Humberside 1 — — — 1 
			   East Midlands — — — — — 
			   West Midlands — 2 — 1 — 
			   East of England — — 3 — 1 
			   London 7 3 5 3 3 
			   South East 3 3 — — 3 
			   South West — — — 3 — 
			   Wales 2 — — — — 
			   England and Wales 13 10 10 7 8 
			 
			 Selling intoxicating liquor to persons under 18 for consumption on the premises2 Licensing Act 1964, Sees 169 A&B; Licensing (Occasional Permissions) Act 1983, Schedule (Sec 3) para 4(1) North East 41 18 18 9 42 
			   Northwest 41 30 35 73 211 
			   Yorkshire and Humberside 17 22 31 14 9 
			   East Midlands 14 9 7 11 78 
			   West Midlands 34 21 11 13 62 
			   East of England 7 6 5 5 11 
			   London 17 2 19 12 113 
			   South East 10 6 17 12 30 
			   South West 5 4 6 2 17 
			   Wales 19 14 9 19 43 
			   England and Wales 205 132 158 170 616 
		
	
	(15) These data are on the principal offence basis.
	(16) Includes "Wholesaler selling intoxicating liquor to a person under 18"

Prisons

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many vacancies there were in each prison establishment for (a) prison officers and (b) other prison staff as at 24 June.

Fiona Mactaggart: The latest information on staff vacancies for each public sector prison establishment relates to staff in post at 31 May and is calculated by comparing the operational staffing requirements as at 30 June. This snapshot is contained in the table.
	Information on required staffing levels within prisons managed by the private sector is not collected centrally in this form and is therefore not available.
	Overall, Officer recruitment continues at a high level compared with previous years and the Service-wide shortfall among operational staff is well within an acceptable operating margin. To cover any vacancies in the short-term, certain establishments are allowing officers to work additional hours as part of the 'Contracted Supplementary Hours Scheme'. This scheme contributed the equivalent of 412 full-time officers at 31 March 2005. At that time the total operational staff availability was 25,858 compared to an operational staffing requirement of 26,087, resulting in a Service-wide shortfall of just 0.9 per cent.
	Staffing levels in non-operational roles are more fluid and vacancy figures require qualification. This is in part due to the number of reviews taking place across the Prison Service and on-going work to introduce greater efficiencies which has led to decisions to leave posts unfilled.
	
		
			  Shortfall of staff in post 31 May 2005 against operational staffing requirement 1 July 2005 
			 Establishment Officers Other staff 
		
		
			 Acklington 9 3 
			 Albany 7 6 
			 Ashwell 8 13 
			 Askham Grange — 4 
			 Aylesbury 13 5 
			 Bedford 7 28 
			 Belmarsh 29 18 
			 Birmingham 22 12 
			 Blakenhurst 15 — 
			 Blantyre House 1 3 
			 Blundeston — — 
			 Brinsford 16 — 
			 Bristol 15 20 
			 Brixton 14 5 
			 Brockhill 5 8 
			 Buckley Hall 1 3 
			 Bullingdon 22 15 
			 Bullwood Hall 9 — 
			 Camp Hill 2 — 
			 Canterbury 3 11 
			 Cardiff — 5 
			 Castington — — 
			 Channings Wood 3 11 
			 Chelmsford 11 — 
			 Coldingley 8 3 
			 Cookham Wood — — 
			 Dartmoor 1 6 
			 Deerbolt 2 — 
			 Dorchester — — 
			 Dover — 10 
			 Downview 5 — 
			 Drake Hall 1 — 
			 Durham 1 30 
			 East Button Park 1 — 
			 Eastwood Park 34 35 
			 Edmunds Hill — — 
			 Elmley 3 14 
			 Erlestoke 6 7 
			 Everthorpe — — 
			 Exeter 1 12 
			 Featherstone 3 15 
			 Feltham 17 29 
			 Ford 9 25 
			 Foston Hall 11 12 
			 Frankland 4 21 
			 Full Button 19 27 
			 Garth 7 4 
			 Gartree 26 20 
			 Glen Parva 7 23 
			 Gloucester 1 6 
			 Grendon 5 — 
			 Guys Marsh 4 12 
			 Haslar — 3 
			 Haverigg 8 11 
			 Hewell Grange 1 7 
			 High Down 12 2 
			 Highpoint 2 2 
			 Hindley 14 2 
			 Hollesley Bay — 2 
			 Holloway 25 — 
			 Holme House 4 14 
			 Hull — — 
			 Huntercombe 22 23 
			 Kingston 5 5 
			 Kirkham 4 12 
			 Kirklevington Grange — 2 
			 Lancaster 2 1 
			 Lancaster Farms 8 — 
			 Latchmere House 4 1 
			 Leeds 1 — 
			 Leicester 9 — 
			 Lewes 3 — 
			 Leyhill 3 20 
			 Lincoln — — 
			 Lindholme — — 
			 Littlehey 6 11 
			 Liverpool — — 
			 Long Lartin 13 15 
			 Low Newton 5 — 
			 Maidstone — 22 
			 Manchester 32 18 
			 Moorland — — 
			 Morton Hall 2 — 
			 New Hall 37 8 
			 North Sea Camp 3 14 
			 Northallerton 2 6 
			 Norwich 3 3 
			 Nottingham — — 
			 Onley 13 14 
			 Parkhurst 12 30 
			 Pentonville 2 12 
			 Portland 8 17 
			 Preston 2 — 
			 Ranby 5 — 
			 Reading 1 4 
			 Risley 16 — 
			 Rochester 1 9 
			 Send 4 8 
			 Shepton Mallet 1 — 
			 Shrewsbury — — 
			 Stafford — — 
			 Standford Hill — 5 
			 Stocken — 9 
			 Stoke Heath 14 11 
			 Styal 7 6 
			 Sudbury 2 12 
			 Swaleside — — 
			 Swansea — — 
			 Swinfen Hall 12 5 
			 The Mount 12 16 
			 The Verne — — 
			 Thorn Cross 3 3 
			 Usk/Prescoed — — 
			 Wakefield 8 8 
			 Wandsworth 17 58 
			 Warren Hill — 3 
			 Wayland 11 6 
			 Wealstun — 5 
			 Weare 9 7 
			 Wellingborough 4 10 
			 Werrington 3 4 
			 Wetherby 6 — 
			 Whatton — — 
			 Whitemoor 41 62 
			 Winchester 1 9 
			 Woodhill 17 31 
			 Wormwood Scrubs — 23 
			 Wymott 13 19 
			 Total 844 1,068 
		
	
	Note:
	Establishments showing "—" currently have no shortfall of staff

Prisons

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many foreign nationals were held in prisons in England and Wales on 24 June, broken down by (a) nationality and (b) prison.

Fiona Mactaggart: The information requested is not available for 24 June. Information for 31 May 2005, as recorded on the Prison Service IT system, is provided in the tables.
	
		Population of foreign nationals in prison establishments(17), by establishment, England and Wales, 31 May 2005
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 Total 9,576 
			   
			 Acklington 18 
			 Albany 34 
			 Altcourse 30 
			 Ashfield 7 
			 Ashwell 47 
			 Askham Grange 4 
			 Aylesbury 60 
			 Bedford 60 
			 Belmarsh 212 
			 Birmingham 136 
			 Blakenhurst 68 
			 Blantyre House 5 
			 Blundeston 107 
			 Brinsford 17 
			 Bristol 53 
			 Brixton 271 
			 Brockhill 9 
			 Bronzefield 131 
			 Buckley Hall 25 
			 Bullingdon 128 
			 Bullwood Hall 20 
			 Camp Hill 97 
			 Canterbury 35 
			 Cardiff 52 
			 Castington 5 
			 Channings Wood 31 
			 Chelmsford 126 
			 Coldingly 75 
			 Cookham Wood 32 
			 Dartmoor 37 
			 Deerbolt 5 
			 Doncaster 74 
			 Dorchester 20 
			 Dovegate 89 
			 Dover 320 
			 Downview 83 
			 Drake Hall 61 
			 Durham 24 
			 East Sutton Park 20 
			 Eastwood Park 14 
			 Edmunds Hill 31 
			 Elmley 215 
			 Erlestoke 30 
			 Everthorpe 11 
			 Exeter 22 
			 Featherstone 48 
			 Feltham 193 
			 Ford 136 
			 Forest Bank 33 
			 Foston Hall 5 
			 Frankland 36 
			 Full Sutton 55 
			 Garth 43 
			 Gartree 35 
			 Glen Parva 51 
			 Gloucester 18 
			 Grendon (Spring Hill) 40 
			 Guys Marsh 41 
			 Haslar 146 
			 Haverigg 13 
			 Hewell Grange 16 
			 Highdown 194 
			 Highpoint South 191 
			 Hindley 11 
			 Hollesley Bay (Warren Hill) 58 
			 Holloway 142 
			 Holme House 27 
			 Hull 49 
			 Huntercombe 60 
			 Kingston (Portsmouth) 19 
			 Kirkham 19 
			 Kirklevington 3 
			 Lancaster 1 
			 Lancaster Farms 12 
			 Latchmere House 36 
			 Leeds 73 
			 Leicester 37 
			 Lewes 62 
			 Leyhill 51 
			 Lincoln 27 
			 Lindholme 35 
			 Littlehey 94 
			 Liverpool 54 
			 Long Lartin 55 
			 Low Newton 14 
			 Lowdham Grange 74 
			 Maidstone 114 
			 Manchester 147 
			 Moorland 23 
			 Moorland Open 6 
			 Morton Hall 211 
			 Mount 193 
			 New Hall 20 
			 North Sea Camp 21 
			 Northallerton 3 
			 Norwich 70 
			 Nottingham 37 
			 Onley 35 
			 Parc 35 
			 Parkhurst 79 
			 Pentonville 344 
			 Peterborough 36 
			 Portland 67 
			 Preston 25 
			 Ranby 55 
			 Reading 18 
			 Risley 43 
			 Rochester 73 
			 Rye Hill 78 
			 Send 39 
			 Shepton Mallet 7 
			 Shrewsbury 20 
			 Stafford 43 
			 Standford Hill 100 
			 Stocken 46 
			 Stoke Heath 21 
			 Styal 26 
			 Sudbury 42 
			 Swaleside 191 
			 Swansea 12 
			 Swinfen Hall 35 
			 Thorn Cross 7 
			 Usk (Prescoed) 19 
			 Verne 268 
			 Wakefield 30 
			 Wandsworth 384 
			 Warren Hill 19 
			 Wayland 147 
			 Wealstun 33 
			 Weare 53 
			 Wellingborough 73 
			 Werrington 3 
			 Wetherby 7 
			 Whatton 24 
			 Whitemoor 59 
			 Winchester 76 
			 Wolds 17 
			 Woodhill 114 
			 Wormwood Scrubs 624 
			 Wymott 44 
		
	
	(17) Figures include persons held in immigration removal centres at Dover, Haslar and Lindholme
	
		Population of foreign nationals in prison establishments,(18) by nationality England and Wales, 31 May 2005
		
			 Foreign national Total 
		
		
			 Total 9,576 
			   
			 Total Africa 2,416 
			 Algeria 139 
			 Angola 66 
			 Benin 7 
			 Botswana 2 
			 Burundi 6 
			 Cameroon, United Republic 30 
			 Central African Republic 11 
			 Chad 1 
			 Congo, Republic of 75 
			 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 45 
			 Cote D Ivoire (Ivory Coast) 23 
			 Djibouti 1 
			 Egypt 26 
			 Equatorial Guinea 2 
			 Ethiopia 39 
			 French Guiana 3 
			 Gabon 1 
			 Gambia 37 
			 Ghana 184 
			 Guinea 13 
			 Guinea-Bissau 1 
			 Kenya 59 
			 Liberia 39 
			 Libya 21 
			 Malawi 15 
			 Mali 2 
			 Mauritania 3 
			 Mauritius 17 
			 Morocco 38 
			 Mozambique 3 
			 Namibia 7 
			 Niger 2 
			 Nigeria 721 
			 Rwanda 10 
			 Sao Tome and Principe 1 
			 Senegal 7 
			 Seychelles 1 
			 Sierra Leone 64 
			 Somalia 255 
			 South Africa 152 
			 Sudan 35 
			 Swaziland 1 
			 Tanzania 14 
			 Togo 12 
			 Tunisia 13 
			 Uganda 63 
			 Zambia 18 
			 Zimbabwe 134 
			   
			 Total Asia 1,277 
			 Bangladesh 136 
			 Bhutan 1 
			 China 219 
			 Hong Kong 15 
			 India 230 
			 Indonesia 4 
			 Japan 2 
			 Korea Republic of (Sth) 5 
			 Malaysia 30 
			 Maldives 1 
			 Mongolia 5 
			 Myanmar (Burma) 3 
			 Nepal 6 
			 Pakistan 374 
			 Philippines 13 
			 Sri Lanka 132 
			 Surinam 3 
			 Thailand 4 
			 Vietnam 96 
			   
			 Total Central or South America 310 
			 Argentina 6 
			 Belize 1 
			 Bolivia 8 
			 Brazil 39 
			 Chile 17 
			 Columbia 136 
			 Costa Rica 4 
			 Ecuador 9 
			 Mexico 17 
			 Panama 1 
			 Paraguay 1 
			 Peru 3 
			 Uruguay 1 
			 Venezuela 68 
			   
			 Total Europe 2,799 
			 Albania 103 
			 Andorra 1 
			 Armenia 3 
			 Austria 7 
			 Azerbijan 1 
			 Belgium 45 
			 Bosnia-Hercegovina 5 
			 Bulgaria 10 
			 Croatia 11 
			 Cyprus 57 
			 Czech Republic 19 
			 Denmark 8 
			 Estonia 6 
			 Finland 5 
			 France 144 
			 Georgia 11 
			 Germany 121 
			 Gibraltar 4 
			 Greece 27 
			 Hungary 13 
			 Irish Republic 697 
			 Italy 105 
			 Kazakhstan 4 
			 Kyrgystan 3 
			 Latvia 34 
			 Lithuania 124 
			 Macedonia 16 
			 Malta 6 
			 Moldova 47 
			 Netherlands 161 
			 Norway 5 
			 Poland 99 
			 Portugal 177 
			 Romania 140 
			 Russia 109 
			 Serbia and Montenegro 91 
			 Slovakia 6 
			 Slovenia 2 
			 Spain 96 
			 Sweden 16 
			 Switzerland 9 
			 Turkey 254 
			   
			 Total Middle East 530 
			 Afghanistan 97 
			 Iran 120 
			 Iraq 218 
			 Israel 24 
			 Jordan 8 
			 Kuwait 10 
			 Lebanon 18 
			 Oman 1 
			 Republic of Yemen 12 
			 Saudi Arabia 8 
			 Syrian Arab Republic 11 
			 United Arab Emirates 4 
			   
			 Total North America 104 
			 Canada 27 
			 United States of America 77 
			   
			 Total Oceania 44 
			 Australia 19 
			 Canton and Enderbury Island 1 
			 Fiji 6 
			 French Southern Territories 1 
			 Kiribati 1 
			 New Zealand 13 
			 Papua New Guinea 2 
			 Samoa 1 
			   
			 Total Other 13 
			   
			 Total West Indies 2,082 
			 Aruba 1 
			 Bahamas 3 
			 Barbados 31 
			 Bermuda 3 
			 Dominica 8 
			 Dominican Republic 9 
			 Grenada 29 
			 Guyana 42 
			 Haiti 2 
			 Jamaica 1,774 
			 Montserrat 6 
			 Netherlands Antilles 17 
			 St Christopher and Nevis 1 
			 St Kitts and Nevis 5 
			 St Lucia 23 
			 St Vincent and The Grenadines 10 
			 Trinidad and Tobago 119 
		
	
	(18) Figures include persons held in immigration removal centres at Dover, Haslar and Lindholme.

Prisons

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners are serving a custodial sentence of (a) less than 12 months and (b) over 12 months, broken down by nationality and gender.

Fiona Mactaggart: The information requested, as recorded on the Prison Service IT system, is provided in the following table.
	
		Population of prison establishments(19) under an immediate custodial sentence, by nationality, sentence length and sex England and Wales, 31 May 2005
		
			  Males Females 
			  Less than 12 months 12 months or more Total males Less than 12 months 12 months or more Total females Total 
		
		
			 Total 7,437 51,271 58,708 675 2,795 3,470 62,178 
			 Total UK nationals 6,775 45,886 52,661 600 2,205 2,806 55,467 
			 Total Foreign nationals 635 5,251 5,886 69 569 638 6,524 
			 Total Unrecorded 27 134 161 6 21 27 188 
			 
			 Total Africa 198 1,112 1,310 36 145 182 1,491 
			 Algeria 25 59 84 — — — 84 
			 Angola 6 31 37 — — — 37 
			 Benin — 7 7 — — — 7 
			 Botswana — 1 1 — — — 1 
			 Burundi 1 1 2 — — — 2 
			 Cameroon, United Republic 2 4 6 — 1 1 7 
			 Central African Republic — 7 7 — — — 7 
			 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 4 24 28 — — — 28 
			 Congo, Republic of 4 36 40 2 — 2 42 
			 Cote d' Ivoire (Ivory Coast) 2 15 17 — — — 17 
			 Djibouti — 1 1 — — — 1 
			 Egypt 4 7 11 3 — 3 14 
			 Equatorial Guinea — 2 2 — — — 2 
			 Ethiopia 6 11 17 4 — 4 20 
			 French Guiana 1 2 3 — — — 3 
			 Gabon 1 — 1 — — — 1 
			 Gambia 2 12 14 — 1 1 15 
			 Ghana 11 104 114 1 19 20 135 
			 Guinea 1 4 5 — — — 5 
			 Kenya 3 34 37 — 3 3 40 
			 Liberia 4 9 13 — 2 2 15 
			 Libya 1 11 12 — — — 12 
			 Malawi — 6 6 1 1 2 8 
			 Mali — — — — 1 1 1 
			 Mauritania 1 1 2 — — — 2 
			 Mauritius 1 7 8 — 1 1 9 
			 Morocco 1 22 23 — 1 1 24 
			 Mozambique 1 1 2 — — — 2 
			 Namibia — 2 2 — — — 2 
			 Niger 1 1 2 — — — 2 
			 Nigeria 31 305 337 18 83 101 438 
			 Rwanda 1 4 5 — 1 1 6 
			 Sao Tome and Principe — 1 1 — — — 1 
			 Senegal 1 3 4 — — — 4 
			 Seychelles — 1 1 — — — 1 
			 Sierra Leone 7 28 35 — 1 1 36 
			 Somalia 34 124 158 2 1 3 161 
			 South Africa 2 83 85 3 20 23 107 
			 Sudan 3 12 15 — 1 1 16 
			 Swaziland — — — — 1 1 1 
			 Tanzania 2 7 9 — — — 9 
			 Togo — 7 7 — 2 2 9 
			 Tunisia 2 8 10 — — — 10 
			 Uganda 10 38 48 — 1 1 49 
			 Zambia 2 11 13 — — — 13 
			 Zimbabwe 22 56 78 3 4 7 85 
			 
			 Total Asia 105 659 763 10 23 33 796 
			 Bangladesh 15 73 89 — 2 2 91 
			 China 19 77 96 3 2 5 100 
			 Hong Kong 1 14 15 — — — 15 
			 India 14 111 124 3 4 7 131 
			 Indonesia — 4 4 — — — 4 
			 Japan — 1 1 — — — 1 
			 Korea Republic of (Sth) — 3 3 — 2 2 5 
			 Malaysia 3 9 12 — 1 1 13 
			 Mongolia — 2 2 — — — 2 
			 Myanmar (Burma) 1 1 2 — — — 2 
			 Nepal 2 — 2 — — — 2 
			 Pakistan 29 241 270 2 7 8 279 
			 Philippines 3 7 10 — 1 1 11 
			 Sri Lanka 16 71 87 1 — 1 88 
			 Surinam — 3 3 — — — 3 
			 Thailand — 2 2 — 1 1 3 
			 Vietnam 2 39 41 2 3 5 46 
			 
			 Total Central or South America 13 191 203 5 25 30 234 
			 Argentina 1 3 4 — — — 4 
			 Belize — 1 1 — — — 1 
			 Bolivia — 4 4 1 1 2 6 
			 Brazil 4 15 19 2 7 9 28 
			 Chile — 9 9 — — — 9 
			 Columbia 5 90 95 2 5 7 102 
			 Costa Rica — 3 3 — 1 1 4 
			 Ecuador 2 2 4 — — — 4 
			 Mexico — 8 8 — — — 8 
			 Panama — 1 1 — — — 1 
			 Paraguay — 1 1 — — — 1 
			 Peru — 3 3 — — — 3 
			 Uruguay — 1 1 — — — 1 
			 Venezuela 1 49 50 — 11 11 61 
			 
			 Total Europe 217 1,510 1,727 16 159 175 1,902 
			 Albania 12 51 63 — — — 63 
			 Armenia — 3 3 — — — 3 
			 Austria — 3 3 — 3 3 6 
			 Azerbijan — 1 1 — — — 1 
			 Belgium 1 23 24 — 7 7 31 
			 Bosnia-Hercegovina — 3 3 — — — 3 
			 Bulgaria — 3 3 — 1 1 4 
			 Croatia — 2 2 1 — 1 3 
			 Cyprus 5 48 52 — — — 52 
			 Czech Republic 2 9 11 — — — 11 
			 Denmark — 2 2 — — — 2 
			 Estonia 1 1 2 — — — 2 
			 Finland — 3 3 — — — 3 
			 France 15 78 93 — 14 14 107 
			 Georgia — 3 3 — — — 3 
			 Germany 8 69 76 3 17 20 96 
			 Gibraltar 1 3 4 — — — 4 
			 Greece 1 15 16 — 2 2 18 
			 Hungary — 11 11 — — — 11 
			 Irish Republic 62 461 523 7 28 35 558 
			 Italy 5 60 65 1 12 13 78 
			 Kazakhstan — 1 1 — — — 1 
			 Kyrgystan — 2 2 — — — 2 
			 Latvia 5 17 22 — 1 1 23 
			 Lithuania 7 41 48 1 5 6 54 
			 Macedonia 1 6 7 — — — 7 
			 Malta — 3 3 — 1 1 4 
			 Moldova 2 13 15 — — — 15 
			 Netherlands 3 88 91 — 25 25 116 
			 Norway — 3 3 — — — 3 
			 Poland 16 35 51 — 2 2 53 
			 Portugal 24 97 121 — 11 11 132 
			 Romania 5 66 71 — 6 6 77 
			 Russia 15 37 52 3 3 6 58 
			 Serbia and Montenegro 6 49 55 — 1 1 56 
			 Slovakia — 3 3 — 1 1 4 
			 Spain 5 55 59 — 13 13 73 
			 Sweden — 6 6 — 3 3 9 
			 Switzerland — 6 6 — 2 2 8 
			 Turkey 17 129 146 1 1 2 148 
			 
			 Total Middle East 58 237 294 — 2 2 296 
			 Afghanistan 11 32 43 — — — 43 
			 Iran 14 48 63 — — — 63 
			 Iraq 30 110 140 — — — 140 
			 Israel — 12 12 — — — 12 
			 Jordan — 5 5 — — — 5 
			 Kuwait — 2 2 — — — 2 
			 Lebanon 1 7 8 — 1 1 9 
			 Republic of Yemen — 9 9 — — — 9 
			 Saudi Arabia — 4 4 — — — 4 
			 Syrian Arab Republic 1 5 6 — — — 6 
			 United Arab Emirates 1 2 3 — 1 1 4 
			 
			 Total North America 4 62 65 — 17 17 82 
			 Canada 1 15 16 — 4 4 20 
			 United States of America 3 46 49 — 13 13 62 
			 
			 Total Oceania 6 28 34 — 1 1 35 
			 Australia 5 11 16 — — — 16 
			 Fiji — 5 5 — — — 5 
			 French Southern Territories — 1 1 — — — 1 
			 Kiribati — 1 1 — — — 1 
			 New Zealand 1 8 9 — 1 1 10 
			 Papua New Guinea — 1 1 — — — 1 
			 Samoa — 1 1 — — — 1 
			 
			 Total Other — 8 8 — — — 8 
			 
			 Total West Indies 35 1,445 1,481 1 197 198 1,678 
			 Aruba — 1 1 — — — 1 
			 Bahamas — 1 1 — 2 2 3 
			 Barbados — 24 24 — 2 2 26 
			 Bermuda — 1 1 — — — 1 
			 Dominica — 5 5 — — — 5 
			 Dominican Republic — 3 3 — 2 2 5 
			 Grenada 1 18 19 — 4 4 23 
			 Guyana 1 24 25 — 5 5 30 
			 Haiti — 2 2 — — — 2 
			 Jamaica 28 1,260 1,288 1 140 141 1,429 
			 Montserrat — 4 4 — — — 4 
			 Netherlands Antilles — 12 12 — 2 2 14 
			 St. Kitts and Nevis — 3 3 — 1 1 4 
			 St. Lucia 1 16 17 — 2 2 19 
			 St. Vincent and The Grenadines 2 7 9 — 1 1 10 
			 Trinidad and Tobago 3 63 66 — 35 35 101 
		
	
	(19) Figures include persons held in immigration removal centres at Dover, Haslar and Lindholme

Proceeds of Crime Act

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on assets recovered by H Division of South Wales Police under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

Paul Goggins: Information is not available in the form requested. The total value of confiscation orders obtained by the South Wales Police under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and earlier legislation is as follows:
	
		
			   
			  Amount 
		
		
			 200203 146,936 
			 200304 581,462 
			 200405 80,332 
		
	
	In addition the total value of cash forfeiture orders obtained by South Wales Police in 200405 under the 2002 Act was 39,617. The total value of orders obtained by the South Wales Regional Asset Recovery Team in 200405 was 279,637.

Red Tractor Logo

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the use of the red tractor logo and food products carrying the logo.

Jim Knight: The red tractor logo is owned by the National Farmers Union and is administered by Assured Food Standards, a private company that was set up for this purpose. Assured Food Standards licences the logo's use on food that has been produced in accordance with standards laid down in qualifying assurance schemes.

Veterinary Surgeons

Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to ensure that veterinary surgeons employed by the state veterinary services in quarantine facilities are fully cogniscent of the diagnosis and treatment of tropical diseases, with particular reference to heartworm.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 11 July 2005
	Authorised quarantine facilities are required, as part of their authorisation, to engage the services of a veterinary surgeon. The appointment of a quarantine veterinary surgeon (QVS) is approved by Defra, based on an assessment and recommendation of a local Veterinary Officer of the SVS. Assessment is focused on rabies diagnosis, welfare and security of the kennels rather than other diseases.
	It is the responsibility of all veterinary surgeons to ensure that their own continuing professional development encompasses all they might encounter in day-to-day work. For QVSs who attend the quarantine premises six days each week, this would include tropical diseases.
	Defra promotes awareness of any exotic disease through their passive surveillance programme DACTARI. This enables veterinary surgeons to report all travel-associated disease to the Department. The distribution of all reported disease is posted on the internet at http://defra.gov.uk/animalh/quarantine/pets/dactari.htm.

Waste Disposal

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with her counterparts in (a) Germany, (b) France, (c) the Netherlands, (d) Denmark, (e) Italy and (f) Belgium on their definitions of (i) biodegradable waste, (ii) municipal waste, (iii) commercial waste, (iv) hazardous waste, (v) industrial waste, (vi) recycling, (vii) recovery, (viii) composting and (ix) waste minimisation.

Ben Bradshaw: As confirmed in my reply of 15 June 2005, Official Report, column 433W to the hon. Member, commercial waste and industrial waste are national terms; and waste minimisation is not defined in either Community or national legislation. There have been no direct discussions, therefore, about these terms with the other member states referred to.
	The other terms referred to are either defined or used without being defined in Community legislation. The UK has participated in discussions with other member states on these terms in the context of the negotiations on the directives which contain the terms. Such meetings take place under the auspices of the presidency of the Council. The UK has also participated in meetings of the Technical Adaptation Committee chaired by the European Commission and established under article 18 of the waste framework directive, article 9 of the hazardous waste directive, article 21 of the packaging and packaging waste directive, article 17 of the landfill directive, article 11 of the end of life vehicles directive and article 14 of the waste electrical and electronic equipment directive.

UK Accreditation Service

Neil Turner: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which certificates produced by the British Board of Agrment are audited and accredited by the UK Accreditation Service.

Yvette Cooper: A number of documents produced by the British Board of Agrment (BBA) solely as a result of testing against technical specifications are audited and accredited by the UK Accreditation Service.
	Details of these are not held in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister but are available from BBA.

Care Assistants

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what her estimate is of the average hourly wage of a care assistant in the NHS.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 11 July 2005
	Under Agenda for Change, the basic pay that staff receives will reflect the knowledge, responsibility, skills and effort required for their job, rather than their historic job title or occupational group. However, based on experience so far, most care assistants are assimilating at band two or three, depending on the nature of the job.
	
		
			
			 Pay Band Annual Hourly 
		
		
			 Band minimum(30) (200506)   
			 2 11,879 6.08 
			 3 13,694 7.00 
			
			 Band maximum (200506)   
			 2 13,694 7.00 
			 3 16,389 8.37 
		
	
	(30) Excludes special transitional points which apply only during assimilation to the new system.

Community Equipment Services

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the NHS has been charged for the lease of equipment loaned on a short-term basis to patients for use in their own homes in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 4 July 2005
	The national health service purchases the majority of its equipment to be used in peoples homes which is generally of a low individual value and arranges for its recycling where possible. This is in line with the Audit Commission's report, Fully Equipped.
	Although some major items may be acquired on a lease basis the Department does not collect centrally information on of how much the NHS has been charged.

Medicine Imports

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much medicine the Government imported in the last three years for which figures are available.

Jane Kennedy: The United Kingdom (UK) world trade in pharmaceuticals between 2002 and 2004 is shown in the following table.
	
		UK world tradepharmaceuticals
		
			  Total imports (millions) Total exports (millions) Trade surplus balance 
		
		
			 2002 7,558 10,179 2,621 
			 2003 8,378 11,941 3,563 
			 2004 8,635 12,348 3,713 
		
	
	This information is collected and published by Her Majesty Customs and Excise.

NHS (Independent Providers)

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she has issued any guidance on the number of (a) NHS foundation trusts and (b) independent sector providers primary care trusts must offer to patients in their menu of four to five providers by the end of 2005; when this guidance was issued; and whether she plans to issue any further guidance.

Liam Byrne: Under the policy framework for choice and booking at the point of referral, published by the Department in August 2004, primary care trusts (PCTs) are responsible for commissioning the menus of four or more providers from which patients needing planned hospital care will be able to choose from the end of this year.
	Where a PCT has a contract with a nationally procured independent sector treatment centre (ISTC), the ISTC needs to be on the PCTs choice menus for those specialities covered by the contract. Other PCTs in the area should also consider offering the ISTC as a choice to their patients. We would also expect PCTs to include any independent sector provider with which they have an existing, locally negotiated, contract to provide an appropriate package of care.
	Creating a Patient Led NHS' published in March 2005, set out our commitment to increase the choice of providers available to patients from April next year. In addition to the four or more locally commissioned providers, patients will be offered the choice of all national health service foundation trusts, all independent sector treatment centres and other nationally procured independent sector providers which meet NHS standards.

NHS Expenditure

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of the NHS annual budget was spent on (a) clinical research, (b) clinical research into the treatment and prevention of cancer and (c) research into the use of photo dynamic therapy as a treatment for cancer in the last period for which figures are available.

Jane Kennedy: holding answer 6 July 2005
	Research active organisations in the National Health Service were allocated 440 million research and development support funding in 200304 1 , of which they report spending some 113 million on research related to cancer. These totals account respectively for 0.72 per cent. and 0.18 per cent. of total NHS expenditure in that year.
	Details of individual NHS projects, including some concerned with photo dynamic therapy in the treatment of cancer, can be found on the national research register at www.dh.gov.uk/research. Project level expenditure data for 200304 are not held centrally.
	1 In addition to clinical research, the allocations to the NHS support health services research, public health research, and research to develop and apply new technology in the NHS.

Aviation Ministers

Chris Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 4 July 2005, Official Report, column 16W, on aviation Ministers, if he will list the junior Ministers who have had responsibility for aviation policy since May 1997, indicating the dates between which they held such responsibilities.

Karen Buck: As I said in my answer of 4 July 2005, Official Report, column 16W to my hon. Friend, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has had responsibility for all forms of transport policy including aviation, since the formation of the Department on 29 May 2002. As my answer of 4 July 2005 stated, no post has been designated as aviation Minister, but support has been provided to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State by his ministerial team on all transport matters throughout this period.

London Underground

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  if he will undertake a review of safety procedures for railway staff attending incidents on electric railway tracks following the incident on 29 June at Kings Cross Station on the Piccadilly line; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will undertake a review of safety procedures for staff from the (a) Ambulance Service and (b) Fire Brigade when attending incidents on electric railway tracks following the incident on 29 June at Kings Cross Station on the Piccadilly line; and if he will make a statement.

Karen Buck: holding answer 11 July 2005
	A formal investigation is now being undertaken by both London Underground (LU) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to determine the causes of the incident at King's Cross on 29 June. This type of incident involving electric shocks is very rare and so far it has not proved possible to identify the power source for the shocks received by the emergency services staff.
	Once the investigation is complete HSE and LU will review the findings to identify and implement any necessary changes to safety procedures to minimise the risk of a recurrence.

M6 Toll Road

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the Government will announce its decision on the proposed new M6 Toll Road.

Stephen Ladyman: The consultation exercise, M6: giving motorists a choice sought views on whether the Department should develop the option of an M6 Expressway between Birmingham and Manchester as an alternative to the current option to widen the M6 between junctions 11a and 19. The Government are considering the response to the consultation and will respond in due course.

Deforestation (Brazil)

Nick Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps (a) the EU and (b) the UK are taking to support the action plan of the Brazilian Government to prevent and control deforestation in the Legal Amazon.

Gareth Thomas: The Brazilian Government are working on a range of short and long-term responses to tackle deforestation in the Amazon. These actions are set out in the National Forestry Programme and its Sustainable Amazon Plan. The Sustainable Amazon Plan was a product of the 186 million multi-donor Pilot Programme for the Preservation of Rainforests (PPG7). DFID has directly contributed 14 million to PPG7 since 1993. DFID's support for PPG7 was completed in 200405, with the exception of a project to support the livelihoods of indigenous people, which will end in March 2007.
	DFID provides support to Brazilian Government efforts through non-governmental organisations and international financial institutions. DFID's Partnership Programme Agreement with the World Wildlife Fund (800,000 a year in 200506 to 200708) enables them to enhance their work on the environment and deforestation in Brazil. Through DFID's membership of the World Bank a $0.5 billion loan was approved to promote environmental sustainability in Brazil. The environment is also a focus of the European Commission's five-year 180 million co-operation with Brazil, providing 65 million in support of PPG7.
	HMG are currently funding over 1 million of on-going initiatives to promote sustainable management of Brazil's forests and biodiversity. These include 239,800 from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Global Opportunities Fund for a project aiming to combat deforestation by developing a scheme for forest-friendly soya production.
	The UK, under the lead of DEFRA, has this year launched a high-level Sustainable Development Dialogue with Brazil on how best to promote sustainable development, including on deforestation in the Amazon region.

Good Governance (Africa)

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which countries in Africa are assessed as having good governance.

Gareth Thomas: holding answer 5 July 2005
	Africa needs effective states that govern justly, invest in their own people and are accountable to them. There is no perfect systemand we give priority to assessing and supporting improvements in governance over time rather than simple status at any point in time. The various aspects of governance also need to be considered.
	The World Bank monitors standards of governance every year. Their data shows that 'voice and accountability' significantly improved in Ghana, Gambia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Tanzania between 1996 and 2004. Within the same time-span, 'government effectiveness' significantly improved in Botswana, South Africa, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo. And 'control of corruption' significantly improved in Gabon, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
	Further details of this report can be found in the document entitled Governance Matters IV: New Data, New Challenges of which I have arranged for copies to be deposited in the Libraries of the House.

Tanzania/Gambia

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much aid the Government have given to (a) Tanzania and (b) Gambia in each year since 1997.

Hilary Benn: The following table provides a breakdown of the UK's bilateral aid and imputed multilateral shares to Tanzania and Gambia since 1997. Figures are taken from the published statistics on International Development 1997/982003/04 and the DAC online database.
	
		
			   thousand 
			 Bilateral aid Total DFID programme 
		
		
			 Gambia  
			 199798 1,311 
			 199899 976 
			 19992000 1,370 
			 200001 1,748 
			 200102 2,043 
			 200203 894 
			 200304 429 
			   
			 Tanzania  
			 199798 42,197 
			 199899 50,105 
			 19992000 64,323 
			 200001 68,929 
			 200102 64,998 
			 200203 95,948 
			 200304 80,482 
		
	
	Source:
	Statistics on International Development
	
		
			   million 
			  Imputed multilateral shares 
			  EC Other UN World Bank Total 
		
		
			 1997 0.14 0.10 0.28 0.34 0.86 
			 1998 0.72 0.24 0.28 0.11 1.34 
			 1999 0.22 0.02 0.27 0.00 0.51 
			 2000 1.12 0.19 0.29 0.25 1.84 
			 2001 0.47 0.54 0.28 0.62 1.91 
			 2002 0.49 0.58 0.32 0.00 1.38 
			   
			  EC Other UN World Bank Total 
			 1997 5.59 3.17 1.13 7.37 17.26 
			 1998 3.88 2.89 1.21 5.30 13.28 
			 1999 5.73 1.68 1.28 0.00 8.69 
			 2000 4.81 1.85 1.55 4.94 13.16 
			 2001 11.38 1.77 1.96 10.61 25.72 
			 2002 5.62 2.76 2.29 0.00 10.67 
		
	
	Source:
	Imputed Multilateral Share/DAC online website

Tsunami (Sri Lanka)

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions his Department has had with the Government of Sri Lanka regarding its decision to impose customs duty on vehicles brought into the country to assist tsunami aid work; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: I refer the member for Boston and Skegness to my response given to member for Vale of York on 6 July 2005, Official Report, column. 469W.

Adult Illiteracy

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the extent of adult illiteracy in England is; what criteria she uses to assess illiteracy; and if she will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: The Skills for Life Survey: A national needs and impact survey of literacy, numeracy and ICT skills (DfES, October 2003) provides the latest estimates of literacy levels across England. The survey assessed the literacy, numeracy and ICT skills of around 8,000 adults aged 16 and above in England.
	The survey findings are shown in the following tables. The assessment levels correspond to the literacy and numeracy national standards: these were introduced in 2002 to provide a framework for all adult screening tests, diagnostic tools, programmes of study and qualifications. Learners are assessed for levels of literacy from entry level 1 to level 2. Level 2 is broadly equivalent to a higher grade GCSE (A*-C).
	Overall around 16 per cent. of adults had literacy skills below level 1 and 47 per cent. had numeracy skills below this level.
	
		Overall literacyBase: all respondents with literacy level (7874)
		
			  16 to 65-year-olds 
			  Percentage Number (million) 
		
		
			 Entry level 1 or below 3 1.1 
			 Entry level 2 2 0.6 
			 Entry level 3 11 3.5 
			 (All entry level or below) (16) (5.2) 
			 Level 1 40 12.6 
			 Level 2 or above 44 14.1 
			  100 31.9 
		
	
	Source for population figures:
	Census 01
	Skills for Life survey, 2003
	
		Overall numeracyBase: all respondents with numeracy level (8040)
		
			  16 to 65-year-olds 
			  Percentage Number (million) 
		
		
			 Entry level 1 or below 5 1.7 
			 Entry level 2 16 5.1 
			 Entry level 3 25 8.1 
			 (All entry level or below) (47) (15.0) 
			 Level 1 28 8.8 
			 Level 2 or above 25 8.1 
			  100 31.9 
		
	
	Source for population figures:
	Census 01
	Skills for Life survey, 2003
	A copy of the survey report is in the House of Commons Library and on the DfES website www.dfes.gov.uk.

Education (Sutton)

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the Answer of 28 June 2005, Official Report, column 1446W, on spending per pupil, what the figures were for the London borough of Sutton.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested is contained within the following table:
	
		School based expenditure(33) per pupil(34) for Sutton LEAin 198586 and 200304(35)(36)
		
			  per pupil(37) 
			  198586 200304 
		
		
			 LEA maintained primary schools 750 2,640 
			 LEA maintained secondary schools 1,140 3,550 
			 LEA maintained special schools(38)  13,630 
		
	
	(33) School based expenditure includes only expenditure incurred directly by the schools. This includes the pay of teachers and school-based support staff, school premises costs, books and equipment, and certain other supplies and services, less any capital items funded from recurrent spending and income from sales, fees and charges and rents and rates. This excludes the central cost of support services such as home to school transport, local authority administration and the financing of capital expenditure.
	(34) Pupil numbers include only those pupils attending LEA maintained schools and are drawn from the DfES Annual Schools Census adjusted to be on a financial year basis.
	(35) 19992000 saw a change in data source when the data collection moved from the RO1 form collected by the ODPM to the Section 52 form from the DfES. 200304 is the latest year for which figures are available.
	(36) The main difference between the 198586 and 200304 figures is that meals and milk is no longer excluded and that no adjustments for balances are now made. However, 198586 also includes all premature retirement compensation (PRC) and Crombie payments, mandatory PRC payments and other indirect employee expenses, while in 200304 only the schools element of these categories is included. Also, for some LEAs, expenditure that had previously been attributed to the school sectors was reported within the LEA part of the form in 200304 and would therefore be excluded, though this is not quantifiable from existing sources.
	(37) Figures are reported in cash terms and rounded to the nearest 10 as reported by the LEA.
	(38) Figures for 198586 are published in the Departments Statistics of Education, Finance and Awards volume 1985. The all England figure published in the earlier Official Report, column 1446W, was taken as an aggregate of the individual LEA level unit costs for special schools. The individual LEA special School data are no longer available and therefore are not included in the answer to this PQ.

Higher Education Initial Participation Rate

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills under what circumstances students whose domicile is (a) non-UK and (b) unknown are included in the Higher Education Initial Participation Rate; and how many students there were in each category in each year between 19992000 and 200304.

Bill Rammell: The Higher Education Initial Participation Rate (HEIPR) is a measure of initial participation for 17 to 30-year-old English domiciled first-time entrants to Higher Education and is produced in accordance with the recommendations of a National Statistics Quality review (National Statistics Quality Review SeriesReport No. 24). No students recorded with non-UK or unknown domiciles have been included in the HEIPR in any year. The HEIPR includes only students recorded as English domiciled or United Kingdom domiciled and attending courses at English institutions, with the assumption that latter group are likely to be English.
	The following table records the number of students included in the HEIPR who are listed as United Kingdom domiciled:
	
		Entrants with domiciles listed as United Kingdom counted in the HEIPR
		
			 Academic year 1999/2000 2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 
		
		
			 No prior HE 575 1,380 670 980 700 
			 Unknown prior HE(39) 235 145 110 170 200 
		
	
	(39) Entrants with unknown prior HE status qualify in the HEIPR on a pro-rata basis, therefore only a proportion of these students will be included.
	Figures rounded to the nearest 5.
	Note:
	It is normal practice to code United Kingdom students under their component domiciles (England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland), rather than United Kingdom. HESA guidance has since 1996/97 indicated that the United Kingdom code should not be returned for a student's domicile.
	Source:
	Information derived from Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) student record.
	
		Numbers of entrants counted within the HEIPR
		
			 Academic year Number of initial entrants (000) 
		
		
			 1999/2000 246 
			 2000/01 249 
			 2001/02 255 
			 2002/03 268 
			 2003/04 269 
		
	
	Source:
	Information derived from Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) student record and Learning and Skills Council Individualised Learner Record.